I'm working on a 1/72 Spitfire with D-Day stripes, but I'm not very happy with it for two reasons: first, the camo pattern as pictured in the painting instructions is completely wrong (and I'm kicking myself here as there's no shortage of photos out there of this particular kite): second, I just don't feel I've done a very good job of it, it's all a bit schlonky and I would benefit from some patience and some enamel thinner.

Rather than just write it off, is there any way I can strip the paint off and repaint? If I could leave the stripes on it would be a bonus... they took ages. The stripes are acrylics from spray tins and the camo is enamel.

I used to use acetone that ladies use to take their nail polish off with, not sure how viable that might be these days. It came in a handy-sized, ribbed bottle from the chemist's (drug store if you're in the US)

It can potentially get pretty messy, lots of tissue and you'll need a bit of patience, I also can't really see you saving your stripes using this technique. Oh, and well ventilated room, acetone is pretty noxious stuff.

Thanks... I think I'll probably write it off for the most part. I can probably salvage the cockpit assembly and bang it in another fuselage. Or maybe I should just mask the stripes and spray the whole darn thing with primer... there's not much wrong with the underside after all...

I think Keith (Muller) uses Mister Muscle oven cleaner to remove paint, but I'm not sure whether this was enamel, or acrylics, although I know he normally uses White Ensign enamels. Personally, I've never really tried removing large areas of paint once dry, but have had some success on very small areas, using thinners (on enamels) and a cocktail stick.Ii think in this case, I'd be tempted to rub down the model with a fine wet n' dry, polish it off, then re-paint.If you're able to spray a thin primer coat first, all the better. I've done this a few times in the past, when I've f***ed up, and the results have been fine - maybe cos I've been determined to put things right!!

I'm basically restarting the same kit, Italeri Spit IX. As I said I've salvaged the cockpit assembly; the prop and spinner I had painted up but not assembled yet, so that will be useful. The aerial mast I snapped off my mistake, ha. The wheels etc are painted but still on the sprues. By the way Terry this is partly your fault... I read your excellent guide to brush painting, looked at my model and thought "must try harder". So this time round I'll be making a bit more effort with the painting. The fact that the camo was completely wrong didn't help! Bad Italeri! I've got this on the go with a Revell Mk V that I'm doing in desert colours, but neither is likely to be finished for a few weeks.

Sh*t, missed this one, could have prevented the destruction!! Mr Muscle oven cleaner works, spray it on all over, stick the whole thing in a plastic bag (its messy!) and leave overnight. Then just rinse it under running water using an old toothbrush to remove the paint. I've only tried this once on a kit painted with enamels. It worked fine, although the oven cleaner seems to dissolve CA glue as well! I read somewhere online that Fairy Powerspray works too and is a bit more gentle than the oven cleaner, it requires a couple of applications. I don't know if either works on acrylics though.

Thanks Keith, useful info to have, now stored in what passes for my brain! If it works on enamels, it should work on acrylics, if the latter haven't been dry for more than a couple of days. Acrylics tend to 'bond' with plastic as they harden and, although they can be removed, might leave small gritty particles, which will need sanding off.